Crystal Guardians: Æsir and Vanir
by obsidianpanda
Summary: Cocoon and Pulse have been locked in a seemingly endless war, one that has killed many. But when the people of Pulse cry out for help to the gods to berid of Cocoon's corrupted ruler, ancient Guardians awaken and the balance of power of the entire world.
1. Prologue

"It's a girl!" She hears one of the maids say, waving her arms excitedly. "A beautiful baby girl!"

Those words were all it took to send a six year-old Claire Farron sprinting up the multiple staircases of the castle to her parent's bedroom. Her breathing is labored, not from the physical exertion, but from excitement and anticipation. Even the breathing exercises her father had taught her won't stop her beating heart.

It takes her only seconds to clear the four flights of stairs to the castle's top floor. She prides herself on training everyday because she's stronger than most of the boys her age, and that makes her feel good. She needs to be the best, so that she can make her parents proud.

She stops mid stride at the door and just stands there.

She has been waiting for this day for months; the day when she would become a big sister. She isn't sure why, but she knows that from today on her life will be different. Nothing will be the same, and she is both excited and scared at the same time.

Hands slightly trembling, she reaches for the large handles and pulls them open with all her strength.

Her mother Celeste is lying in the large bed at the end of the room, covered by white sheets and blue blankets. In her arms is a white bundle of cloth, and from it Claire can hear the sound of crying. Her father Reeve is standing next to the bed, and both her parents are smiling. Claire has never seen them so happy, and she desperately wants to see what her little sister looks like.

Even still, she knows her manners and waits patiently by the door until her mother sees her.

"Would you like to see her?" Her mother says softly. She is stroking the baby in an effort to halt its cries, but to no avail.

She nods, and when Reeve gives her an approving smile she walks as quickly and silently as she can towards the bed. She stands beside her father and watches as her mother lowers the bundle in her arms to Claire's eye level.

Seeing the baby's face, it makes her heart pound wildly. The eyes are blue and her hair is pink, like Claire's own, and it finally hits her that the baby is truly her sister. She reaches out to touch the tiny hand, and is startled when small fingers grab onto her thumb and refuse to let go. The baby's cries halt.

Her father chuckles. "She likes you."

Claire smiles and watches the face that is so similar to hers. "What's her name?" She asks.

Celeste strokes the baby's round cheeks, causing her to squirm a little. Blue eyes glance around wildly, until they focus on Claire.

"Serah." Her mother says in a soothing voice. "Her name will be Serah."

Claire stares at her little sister in wonder. "Serah." She tries saying the name out loud, and likes how easy it is to say. She says it again. "Serah."

Her father crouches down so that his eyes are level with Claire's. "I am going to give you an important mission, Claire. Do you think you can handle it?"

Claire nods her head eagerly and stands up straight, trying to look as strong as possible. She likes challenges. "I'm ready." She says confidently.

Reeve's face suddenly turns serious. Claire has only seen this side of her father when he is working, and she knows it is definitely something important.

"Then, Claire Farron, your duty is to protect Serah from anything that might harm her." He pauses, studying her with his eyes. "Do you understand?"

She doesn't understand it entirely, but she knows that to 'protect' means she needs 'strength' and that a big responsibility is being given to her, and she does not want to disappoint her parents. She nods enthusiastically and is rewarded by Reeve ruffling her hair. "Thank you." He says, and she feels a surge of pride within her.

She returns her gaze back to Serah. Blue eyes are staring up at her expectantly.

"Strength." She says to herself. She needs to be stronger, so that she can protect Serah, so she can keep her promise and make her parents proud.

She needs to be stronger.


	2. I

Claire had dreamed of being a knight since she had been a little girl.

Most of the little girls her age were dreaming of their large castles and princes on white horses, but not Claire. She wanted no part of wearing frilly dresses or having to be waited upon hand and foot. The servants of the Farron household were nice, but they always had an air of respectfulness about them that Claire disliked. They would not make good playmates, she had mused.

She wanted to be the one valiantly riding on her noble steed, charging headfirst into danger like all of her favorite heroes in the books her mother would read her. Her favorite story was "King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table", and Celeste had reread the book to her so many times that Claire knew the whole story by heart.

So one morning, as she pictured an image of Sir Lancelot in silver armor riding off into battle, she asked her father if she could go with him to see the Cocoon knights train. Her mother had been against it when she had asked, but she hoped her father would let her go anyway.

Reeve, although he was unsure of the idea, agreed and let her come. His excuse to his wife was, "It couldn't hurt her to learn about combat, since she _is_ in the royal family."

Celeste gave him a disapproving look, but gave in.

"Just make sure she doesn't pick up any bad habits."

-x-

Those few minutes had changed Claire's life forever.

As the men clad in silver swung their swords, it instilled a sense of awe in her as she watched. Every strike was filled with power and purpose.

Their fighting skills, their confidence, their courage; it was everything the young Farron wanted to be and more.

That night, she told her father that she wanted to become a knight too.

"Why?" He had asked, looking surprised.

It was usually custom for the firstborn in the royal family to become the next heir to the throne. Besides, his daughter was only six, and most six year-olds didn't understand the trials growing up, let alone fighting in a battle. He didn't like the idea of his daughter learning the horrors of war at such a young age.

"I want to be stronger." She said simply. "And knights are strong. You said I needed to protect Serah, and to do that I have to be strong."

The eagerness in her eyes surprises Reeve, but what startles him even more was the look of pure determination and resolve. Claire has never been a girl to back away from any sort of challenge, and Reeve realizes there is no way for him to talk his young daughter out of her decision.

"Show me how much you want it. Then we'll discuss it." He says, putting a hand on her shoulder. He needs proof of how much she wants this kind of difficult, painful lifestyle.

He doesn't miss the look of anger that flashes across her face, but she quickly masks it and nods. And he pauses to wonder what he may have gotten himself into.

That night, the light in Claire's room doesn't go off before he falls asleep.

-x-

The rainy season has started in Cocoon, and many of the knights and servants have sought the shelter of their homes or the castle.

Claire Farron, however, refuses to halt her activities just because of some water that is falling from the sky. She has something to prove, and bad weather isn't going to stop her.

Wearing the lightest shirt and pants she could find, she begins to run.

The rain stings her eyes and her clothes become heavy. Her legs are screaming and every step becomes more difficult. Even so, she wills her body to continue on.

Reeve watches Claire from behind a tree as she completes her third lap around the castle. He's never seen someone so dedicated in their training, and he wishes some of his men were like her. Or at least, had some of her vigor.

Still, he isn't sure she can handle the task of being a knight, and continues to watch from the shadows where his daughter cannot see him.

After ten laps, she is dripping with sweat and gasping for air. The rain has become a downpour, and the tree he had been standing under is not longer sheltering him from becoming soaked. He wonders if Claire is finally finished.

But to his utter amazement, she takes a deep breath and begins running again.

"This child is definitely special." He says quietly, turning back to return to the castle. "Very special."

-x-

For three months, Claire continues to train herself. The progress is remarkable, and after awhile even a few of the knights are noticing her as she takes her morning runs.

"She's amazing." One of them says as she dashes by. "Just like her father."

"Will she surpass him, I wonder?"

The oldest out of the group, who is holding a sword, chuckles. "Well, she's definitely cut out for greatness."

They all laugh. "We could always use more young ones in the order." The one next to him says, adjusting his helmet.

The swordsman casts one last glance at the young child running into the distance.

"That child will become a great knight."

-x-

Claire's favorite time, when she isn't training, is spending time with her little sister. Serah is a very quiet child and stays in her crib often, and Claire is very careful to make sure the baby Farron isn't sleeping.

She loves brushing her fingers through Serah's soft hair. No matter how much her body hurts, seeing her baby sister always helps wash away the pain and tiredness. Serah brightens her day and makes her smile.

She is tucking Serah in one night when the baby girl opens her eyes. Startled, Claire begins to move away slowly.

Serah begins crying.

Her mind freezes. She isn't sure what to do, and mother isn't in the castle that day because she's meeting with an important person -she remembers the mentioning of the name Caelum - and none of the other servants are around to help. But seeing tears rolling down the young Farron's face, she can't help but want to comfort the baby.

Hesitantly, she reaches out her hand to stroke Serah's hair again.

To her surprise, the baby stops crying and immediately latches onto her hand, cuddling against it. Overwhelming happiness fills Claire' heart and she smiles.

It's small moments like these where the desire to become a knight burns even stronger, because she wants to be able to protect her little sister with her own two hands.

-x-

Finally, after debating for weeks, Reeve gives Claire his consent on her decision to become a knight. The smile that appears on her face makes him grin. Still, he wonders if he has made the correct choice.

To ease his worries, he picks an instructor for her. Amodar is an old war comrade and a close friend, and the perfect mentor for his daughter.

"The life of a knight is not an easy one." Amodar says. "We must train our bodies and make them our slaves to fight with. Even if you are hurt or wounded, even if you lose your weapon, you must be able to continue the fight the enemy. Do you understand?"

Claire nods enthusiastically, her young mind taking in all the information she has been given.

Amodar smiles at her eagerness. "Well, that's enough lecturing for today. I'll start teaching you how to wield a sword next."

Excitement floods the young Farron's body. She has always wanted to use a sword.

Amodar finds a silver blade that is well balanced, although heavier than he would usually give a knight-in-training. He holds it out to his student. "Try this one."

She takes it, marveling at it. The blade is so clear she can see her face in its reflection.

Amodar is astonished of the fact that she can wield a sword of that weight so easily, especially for her age. "Reeve wasn't kidding about her." He says under his breath. This young girl standing before him might become one of the greatest knights of Cocoon.

Claire suddenly swings the blade with great force, and there is a resounding swoosh as the blade cuts through air. She frowns at the noise and tries again, this time angling the blade more. There is another swoosh, but it is not as loud.

"What are you doing?" Amodar asks, intrigued by his young apprentice's actions. All of his other students he had taught immediately tried to cut something down when he handed them the weapon.

"It's too loud." Claire answers, swinging the blade again. "When Father brought me to see the knights, their blades made no sounds in the air. Mine makes a lot of noise."

He is stunned by her intelligence. The young Farron understands many things other knights do not. Not only is she strong for her age, but she has one of the sharpest minds of any child he's ever met. In a way, she reminds him or Reeve when he was younger.

"Like father like daughter, huh." He murmurs to himself.

-x-

**Sorry the story updates are so slow; I'm trying to write out the story as well as I can and not send out something half-baked (at least for me, through my writing is pretty amateurish as it is). The first few chapters are mainly going to be early childhood and setting up for the main arcs, so don't fret because I'll get to the main plot eventually. There will be appearances of characters from other games (if you didn't catch the reference earlier lol), though mainly it will be the XIII cast. **


End file.
